4 Ways We Can Contribute to the On-Premise Channel’s Recovery

Wow, how fast the last two years have flown by.

Living in this new environment that includes COVID has changed a lot of things for us. The impact of the pandemic on the spirits and hospitality industry has forced us to relook at the way we approach business—especially coming out of the holiday time period and heading into summer, a time where there is often a large uptick in travel and entertainment.

It needs to be said that leisure travel has only just started picking up over the last few months and has been the slowest to recover during the pandemic. I’ve learned so much during this challenging time, as many of us have. Because of that, I want to share a few of the ways I’ve realized that I, along with anyone who loves travel and entertainment, can help to build back what we once may have taken for granted.

In every conversation I have with an on-premise customer, similar themes become very apparent and somewhat intuitive as to how we can help a given property’s recovery.

1. LISTEN: Many of us, myself included, are prolific problem solvers (or we’d like to think so). We see an issue and immediately want to TELL someone the answer. This is not the approach that is going to add value to the conversations around recovery. Find the discipline and patience to simply listen to the needs of your customers, first and foremost, needs which should be very different from each other, and try to solve the opportunities and challenges together. No one property is feeling the long-term effects of the pandemic the same as another. Being a good partner means understanding and respecting that.
2. RESPECT: We all have goals. We all have financial targets. We are all compensated based on our output to the organizations we work for day after day. We need to collectively figure out the common goals where we can help each other to better, more efficiently, service the consumer.
3. EMBRACE BEING UNCOMFORTABLE: These times are by no way normal or easy, and zero percent of us have experience dealing with the past 24+ months. The conversations should be uncomfortable, and when the energy is directed positively, it can create amazing conversations that lead to progress and create value.
4. STAY POSITIVE: It’s been a long road and everyone’s journey is different.? Think before you react and truly take the time and energy to understand the issue(s), perspective, and how what is being asked is truly trying to help both parties, and equally important, the on-premise business in general.

These are not new ideas, and they are not revolutionary or game-changing for anyone who has spent any time in the on-premise and understands the nuances and passion, the opportunities and challenges, that this incredibly important part of our business has to offer.

At its core, we are singularly focused on creating a total experience for the consumer. Where Beam Suntory steps in is in doing our best to add value to an experience that a consumer has when they come into contact with our accounts, brands, or portfolios. We will only win and advance by working together across all three tiers of our business, and by always keeping the end-user, our consumer, at the forefront. We must work tirelessly to elevate the conversation and experience and place ourselves into different life moments in an organic and meaningful way.

We can reflect back on what we’ve done, but it is equally important to consider what is ahead and decide what goals we want to set for ourselves both personally and professionally to make tomorrow better than today. Each day forward is an opportunity to positively impact a business that is such an important part of our lives.